Wingate, N.C.----Lenoir-Rhyne University built a 17-point lead and withstood a furious Wingate University rally before taking a 66-63 South Atlantic Conference women's basketball victory Wednesday evening in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court. Wingate shot 23.1 percent from the field in fateful first half (six-of-26).
 
Lenoir-Rhyne senior guard Jasmine Stafford (Memphis, Tenn.) led all scorers with 17 points. She hit seven-of-10 free throws, including six-of-seven in the fourth quarter as the Bears kept the Bulldogs at bay. L-R sophomore guard Justyce Swango (Virginia Beach, Va.) added 10 points for the visitors.
 
Wingate freshman guard Danasia Witherspoon (Hickory, N.C.) led the Bulldogs with 15 points, including 13 markers in the second half. Bulldog junior guard Shelby Tricoli (Waynesville, N.C.) and junior forward Kristina Rumplasch (Mount Airy, N.C.) contributed 11 points and 10 points, respectively. Wingate shot 61.3 percent from the floor after intermission (19-of-31).
 
Wingate struggled to get its offense going in the first half, scoring only six points in the second quarter to Lenoir Rhyne's 19. The Bears led 31-17 at halftime. L-R freshman forward Madi Suddreth (Taylorsville, N.C.) led both teams with eight first-half points. Stafford and Swango added seven points each. Rumplasch led the Bulldogs with six points.
 
Two free throws by Bear junior forward Morgan Cooper (Virginia Beach, Va.) gave the visitors a 35-18 lead with 7:51 left in the third quarter. The 17-point bulge was Lenoir-Rhyne's largest lead of the evening.
 
The Bulldogs finished the third frame on a 25-11 run to cut the deficit to 46-43 on a jumper by Tricoli with 18 seconds left in the quarter. Tricoli led Wingate with eight points in the quarter, while Witherspoon added seven markers.
 
Lenoir-Rhyne opened the fourth and final quarter with six unanswered points to take a 52-43 lead on two free throws by senior center Shelly Harper (Cincinnati, Ohio) at the eight-minute mark. Harper started the 6-0 flurry with a jumper (9:22). Cooper added a hoop of her own (8:31) before Harper contributed her two charity tosses.
 
The Bulldogs would get no closer than five points until less than a minute remained on the clock. Freshman guard Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) hit a fast break lay-up on a Witherspoon dish with 59 seconds remaining, cutting the Wingate deficit to 64-61. Lenoir-Rhyne turned the ball over, but Wingate could not capitalize.
 
Swango made one-of-two free throws with 19 seconds left, nudging the L-R Bears' advantage to 65-61. Witherspoon hit a follow shot with 10 seconds to play to cut the Bulldog deficit in half. She was fouled on the play, but could not convert the free throw.
 
Wingate fouled L-R sophomore guard Cassidy Joyner (Dobson, N.C.) immediately following her rebound of the Witherspoon missed free throw. Joyner made one-of-two free throws with eight seconds left to give the Bears a 66-63 edge. Bulldog senior forward Morgan McGee (Durham, N.C.) missed a three-point field goal with two seconds left. Time expired while the two teams fought for the rebound.
 
Witherspoon took charge of the Bulldog defense, posting team-best totals of five steals and five rebounds. Rumplasch stayed on her toes as well, coming away with four rebounds and two steals of her own.

Lenoir-Rhyne junior forward Brooke Robinson (Vale, N.C.) came into this game ranked sixth in the South Atlantic Conference in rebounds per game (8.2). Despite foul trouble, Robinson shared the team rebounding lead with four boards. Cooper matched Robinson with four caroms. Both players had six points each.

The Wingate women's basketball team will hit the road Saturday, visiting Tusculum (9-7 overall, 7-6 SAC) for a 2 p.m. SAC contest. Lenoir-Rhyne also hits the road for a tough league match-up at Lincoln Memorial (11-7 overall, 8-5 SAC) Saturday. Game time is slated for 2 p.m.